Umebachi

Sendai does not have anywhere near the kind of diverse professional support that he can get at TCC. Also, Canadian sports medicine is superb (I am benefiting from them myself after decades of unresolved physical issues) and he would need them badly as he intensifies his training on 4A, which is quite risky and should be done with experienced professionals close at hand. I am very impressed by TCC's management philosophy which emphasizes a very respectful and team-oriented approach toward their athletes. Unfortunately, this is such a rare and precious phenomenon in high-level sports clubs, and especially in FS.

The traffic poster is deliberately using the word yuzuru = to “give way” ( as in letting others pass or cross) which is written as ゆずる〜譲る。。It’s a pun on his name which is pronounced the same way but his name is written as yudzuru ゆづる　結弦。The second character in his name is pronounced “tsuru” on its own and means a twine or a bow. With the character Yu 結 coming just before it, the sound is transformed to dzu =zu.

This is quite an emotional depiction of what this Osaka resident is feeling about the WTT coming to the city. Extremely worried and having nightmares about Yuzu competing at WTT. This person is a manga illustrator - and reveals quite a complex and nightmarish depiction of the upcoming event. Will try to translate later - it's quite long! It is a depiction of a dream (nightmare). Starts with the scene of a carp fish peaking in from another dimension (clearly covid virus infected side) and the carp on this side wondering what is going on. Then goes on to remember the past performances by Yuzu - and how Osaka has been the devil's abode for him, e.g., NHK 2017. The man in track uniform is the symbol of Osaka (recalling the runner from 1967 Olympics) who is asking Yuzu to come to Osaka and they both end up dancing with mambo. Yuzu asks why are we dancing the mambo? In Japanese short-hand, the medical emergency being called on Osaka and Tokyo is being nicknamed "Manbo". Hence, this is turning into Dance Macabre... https://ameblo.jp/yen000/entry-12667412872.html This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Here is a website that gives a fairly comprehensive history of "purin" arriving in Japan (19th c "Podding") plus modern variations (which include some of your examples) and the detailed step-by-step recipe for making the Japanese "purin". It's in Japanese but I think google can translate well enough? https://www.glico.com/nutrition/tabemono/food/25/index.html [NEWS] Since this is turning a bit off topic, let me make amends by sharing the SBS Uchimura Kohei and Hanyu Yuzuru. Two purin princes in motion.

It's not on Spotify probably because the song wasn't produced for commercial purposes - it was created as an act of pure love for the young athletes and I think there is only this video that they made publicly available. This fits so well with Yuzu's values and world view... Some of the fans are now asking the band to produce the song as an album.

This is one of my recent favorite Japanese songs, by back number. So glad to see it getting more attention, thanks to Yuzu who mentioned it as his favorite song on WTT announcement. Apparently, the song is trending now in Japan. The video is so moving - I wanted to shout to the girl in the video - don't go into the water - don't die, don't give up! Suicide rates have been going up in Japan, as in so many countries... Please reach out to your loved ones!

This may be old news and might have already been posted here before the Worlds. ICYMI, here is the TV program S-park (Mar 21 2021) where Yuzu talks about his admiration for Uchimura Kohei, starting around 3:07 mark on the vimeo video (attached to the thread). He is impressed and inspired by Uchimura pushing himself at age 31 and learning to perform the H-level ("Bretschneider") move - a release with two flips and two twists in the tucked position - on the horizontal bar. Perhaps not quite the level of quad axel in FS, but it is considered the most difficult release on the horizontal bar.

Hi! Not to dispute or challenge you, but I do recall enjoying "purin" for dessert in my childhood days in the mid 1960's in Tokyo. Ginza Fujiya (with Peko-chan at the entrance) had strawberry shortcake and purin, which were among the favorites of children back in those days (along with Omu-rice, Sadaharu Oh for baseball and Taiho for Sumo wrestling - oh dear, I am dating myself!) Purin is the soft version of flan/ creme caramel and never referred to the that stolid English pudding, which I hated - ugh (deep apologies to the British satellites for this cultural savagery). Anyway, we can't pronounce "pudding" so "purin" it is. We seem to prefer our sweets (and figure skaters) to be soft and wiggly.

It's a common saying in Japan. literally, it means "Don't forget the feeling when you first began (as in being an apprentice or novice)". "Shoshin" 初心 - it reminds us to be humble and not to lose the awe and wonderment when you first began the journey, and not to become jaded or arrogant, complacent, etc. Just for fun - All new drivers in Japan have to place the "Shoshinsha" mark on their cars. We are reminded to drive carefully and mindfully, like a shoshin-sha (but with better skills, lol): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshinsha_mark

Recent TV Asahi coverage on Yuzu made reference to Uchimura and his respect for Yuzu's PC Olympics comeback (after injury). It follows that Yuzu now refers to Uchimura as the athlete he admires and respects... The question was not "which figure skater?" but rather which athlete do you admire... Yuzu's favorite song/music selection is heart-wrenching... "Horizon" by back number. It's a song calling out to those who have lost hope and are heading towards self-destruction in this time of pandemic. This song was written in response to all the high school students who wrote to the back number members about their deep sadness and depression after the cancellation of the "inter-high school" athletic event last summer, due to Covid. How appropriate for Yuzu to pick this song! The YT video link is provided in the tweet, and the lyrics are subbed. Not for the faint-hearted... PS: Horizon video has more than 61 million views! Many comments refer to tragic events in their own lives (one makes reference to being told about his terminal illness) and how this song has helped them heal. This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Hana wa saku in Spanish.

I don't recall any particularly negative discussions in the Japanese media about Yuzu's programs for 2012/2013 season. I never paid attention to FS forum like GS, so I have no idea about what was discussed back then among the die-hard Japanese fans. In the mainstream media, there was more concern about his asthma and lack of stamina, while there was a lot more intensity and interest around Daisuke back then. No one thought Yuzu would be ready for the 2014 Olympics, (including me!) although we were certain he will rise up and be ready for the next Olympics (PC). I only started realizing that he might be ready for 2014 during the JNats in Dec 2013. I still recall very vividly watching him on a small TV screen in the very best Ryokan (traditional inn) in Kyoto with my sister. This was a special holiday break I gave to myself after a very grueling year at work with almost non-stop travel. Now I am glad to have that beautiful historic inn - Hiiragiya 柊家 forever connected with my pre-Sochi memories. https://www.hiiragiya.co.jp/ I think that NHK documentary about Yuzu's first year in Toronto at TCC was widely watched and very well received. It made many of us casual FS viewers (as I was back then) realize how much he will benefit from training with Orser and the TCC team in building up his skating foundation. That narrative struck a very positive chord with the Japanese audience - we generally appreciate the importance of doing the boring grunt work which underly any beautiful piece of art work. There was something very master-craftsman-like in the way Yuzu was being nurtured and polished at TCC, which we loved. Also, I noticed that many Japanese fans loved his teenie bopper programs like Believe and Hello - and I remember being annoyed because I was not a fan. So you can call me that grumpy old auntie! lol But I really enjoyed his PW and was delighted to see it performed live at SCI2019! That was the event where I met up with many of you in person, and we had so much fun screaming together like teenagers - in a beautiful Canadian setting. So many precious memories - thank you to everyone on this Forum!

Yes, they will broadcast SOI live on TBS Cable Channel (CS TBS) on April 23 and 24. Sunday April 25 performance and interviews plus backstage specials will be shown on May 30. I will watch it on ForJoyTV - which includes both CS TBS channels in the package.

Sorry this is Off Topic - but I wanted to leave this info on this General thread about another option to watch WTT on TV Asahi. Perhaps the Admins can also add this info in the WTT thread?

Thank you for using data to capture the enormous extent of global outreach and interest in Yuzu. Please keep on doing what you do!! N.B. A plea to the dear Satellites on this Planet: It's clear that Yuzu has an enormous global outreach, and greater the popularity, the higher the likelihood of inciting some groups or individuals to target him with harsh and negative comments. This is not a reflection of the intrinsic value of the targetted individual, but rather a revelation of the negative sentiments churning inside the psyche of those doing the inciting. Toxic energies should be avoided and treated with fresh breeze and sunlight, not confronted directly as that will create an even greater inflammatory response. I am currently doing research on the spread of vaccine hesitancy and other anti-public health sentiments across various population groups - and these do spread like toxic fumes/ viral infections across the social media - and are fanned and fueled by more antagonistic comments. These phenomena are more effectively managed not by a sledgehammer messages, but through isolation and persistent nudging...

Umedonguri offers an interpretation of TTCT's historic background - Lord Kenshin's musings behind the performance...

I responded to M @mousse in another long thread, which I attach here.

Our baking genius black rabbit - kurousagi - lapinnoirkur strikes again! Beautiful cake in the image of Yuzu's Believe costumed Hana-wa-saku. Cake covered with white anko (Japanese bean paste). Flower petal cup cake on the side...

I am sure he knows about Nobunari Oda, as Nobu is a TV personality and his name is so obviously related to Oda Nobunaga. But I get the sense that this gentleman doesn't really watch TV that much. His manner of speech is quite medieval and quaint and most of his tweets are indeed related to the subject of Sengoku history, so this might make the Japanese fanyus a little bit hesitant to run amok on this solemn site. Of course, it didn't stop them from gushing about Yuzu on this twitter site, but I noticed they used an appropriately polite form of speech when addressing this gentleman! A regional perspective: Nobu has such a sunny and fun-loving (and loud) personality - in keeping with the reputation of his hometown, Osaka, whereas people of the north (like the Uesugi family) generally have the reputation of being more silent and serious like their craggy snowy mountains. Fanyus will appreciate that people from Tohoku (northeast) have the reputation for being beautiful - at least this is a common view among the people of Edo (modern Tokyo) - my family, for example.

Yes, for me this is a much more important news (in Japan): The 16th generation descendant of Lord Kenshin - who had been leading a quiet life back in Echigo, bravely defending the legacy of Lord Kenshin from obvlivion - finally learned about Yuzu skating to TTCT because of the WC media. He was amazed and grateful, and then he was even more amazed to find his twitter account suddenly gaining followers in the thousands within a day or two! [NEWS] Update: his account now has 5000+ followers, up by one thousand in one single day (mostly Japanese fanyus, I think)! He is astoniched and speechless, apparently. He thanks the new followers but also sends his appreciation to all his followers from the earlier days. What a kind and thoughtful person! The exchange is like a living legend (Hanyu) connecting with an historic legend (Lord Kenshin) through this intermediary person. He uses a very polite, old turn of phrase, and one can imagine Lord Kenshin himself commentating on Yuzu's performance and life choices. I look forward to following this thread in this pre-Olympic season.

I want to cleanse away the toxicity pervading the SNS world - which is, unfortunately, the common state of the "Human Condition"... I found it charming that the 16th generation descendant of a branch of Uesugi family has his own twitter account. He recently found out about Yuzu skating to the theme of TTCT and was astounded to see his twitter followers increase rapidly to more than 4000. Apparently he had not watched JNats, and only became aware of Yuzu's choice of music just before the Worlds. In this latest tweet, he sends his greetings to the many fans of Hanyu Yuzuru who started to follow him. He reassures us that we don't need to be particularly interested on the historic Sengoku (Warring States) period to share tweets on this site, and welcomes us to get in touch with him with a light heart. (I think he adds this note because it can be quite intimidating to be tweeting with a descendant of one of the most fearsome warriors of the Sengoku period!) In his twitter profile, he mentions that he is doing his best to spread Lord Kenshin's Philosophy of Virtue and to ensure that this part of history will not be erased from the (Japanese) school text book. Quite a number of Japanese fanyus have responded and are tweeting with him. In this tweet just before Yuzu's Free at WC, he asks: "Is it time for Lord Hanyu (Hanyu-dono) to take to the battle field? Wishing him a (warrior's) good fortune." I absolutely love that he uses the appropriate old Japanese phrases for warriors heading out to battle (Shutujin and Go-Bu-un). This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

This was a fun video to watch - it will take a bit of work to translate/sub. But I can try later, when I have more time...

Thank you for sharing! This full arena view provides a very clear-cut evidence of the huge differences in their speeds across the rink. It's hard to observe this on the limited frame of the TV screen. (I remember being amazed by Kaori's powerful skating and the size of her jumps when I saw her live for the first time at GPF 2018).

I love monji's drawings. The baby yuzus represent his jumps, in case you are not familiar with these cartoons. The two on the left are saying (at the top) "don't cry! we aren't like this at all (meaning we are much better than this)!" The baby yuzu on the left is squeezing his fists and the onomatopeic sound associated with this gesture is "gyuu". the second baby yuzu on the left is crying and holding his eyes, and it says "Uuu" (the Japanese onomatopeic sound associated with holding back tears). The third baby yuzu on the right is comforting Yuzu on his leg, and the onomatopeic sound associated with this gesture is "nade nade". Naderu means to stroke or pet (e.g., your dog). Who knows what Pooh is doing, but seems to be doing something similar comforting Yuzu, who looks quite serene.

Well in that case we are all soaking in yuzukur at the moment, contemplating yon-chan appearing with Kenshin.